
I Supplement to the 1997 Buick  Regal  and  Century  Owner’s  Manuals 
This  is a correction  to  information  found on page 6-40 (Regal only) and page 6-38 (Century only). 
Inflation -- Tire  Pressure 
The  Tire-Loading  Information  label,  which  is  on  the  inside  of  \
the trunk lid  shows  the  correct  inflation 
pressures  for  your  tires  when  they’re  cold. 
“Cold” means  your  vehicle  has  been  sitting  for  at  least  three 
hours  or  driven  no  more  than 
1 mile (1.6 km). 
This  is a correction  to  information  found on page 6-63 (Regal only). 
Engine Crankcase 
Oil and Filter Change . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.5 quarts (4.2 L) 
97RECKEN001 
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Section 2 Features  and  Controls 
Here you can learn  about  the many  standard  and  optional  features  on your Buick, and information on starting, shifting 
and  braking.  Also explained  are  the  instrument  panel  and the warning systems  that tell you 
if everything  is  working 
properly 
-- and what  to do if you have a problem. 
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Keys 
Door Locks 
Remote Keyless Entry  TrUnk 
Theft 
PASS-Key@  I1 
New  Vehicle  “Break-In” 
Ignition  Positions  Starting  Your Engine 
Engine Coolant Heater 
Automatic  Transaxle  Operation 
Parking  Brake 
Shifting  Into  PARK 
(P) 
Shifting Out of  PARK  (P) 
Parking  Over  Things That Burn 
Engine Exhaust 
Running  Your Engine  While 
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2-55  Windows 
Horn 
Tilt  Steering  Wheel 
Turn  SignalMultifunction  Lever 
Exterior  Lamps 
Interior Lamps 
Mirrors 
Storage  Compartments 
Ashtrays and  Lighter 
Sun Visors 
Auxiliary Power Connection 
Sunroof 
Cellular  Phone Provisions 
Instrument Panel 
-- Your  Information  System 
Instrument  Panel Cluster 
Warning  Lights, Gages and  Indicators 
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You may  also  customize  your vehicle  to  activate  the 
Delayed Locking  function  as  described  above,  or  you 
may  choose  to  completely  disable  the  function  at 
all 
times. If disabled,  the  power door  locks will activate 
immediately  when a power  door  lock  switch 
is pressed. 
The  enableddisabled  state  of the  Delayed  Locking 
function  will  be  toggled  when you perform the 
following  sequence  with the  doors  closed  and the 
ignition  key in the 
RUN position: 
Press and hold  the power  door unlock switch.  While 
holding  the  door  unlock switch,  cycle  the  transmission 
out  of and  back  into 
PARK (P). After  an  initial 
transmission  cycle,  each  additional  cycle  will  toggle  the 
enable/disable  state  of the  Delayed  Locking  function. 
During  this  procedure,  the  chime  will sound,  providing 
you  with  feedback. 
A single  chime  will  be heard  if the 
Delayed  Locking  function  is  disabled  and  two chimes 
will  be heard 
if the  function  is  enabled.  When  the  door 
unlock  switch  is  released,  the  vehicle will remain in the 
most  recent  operating  mode. 
The  Delayed  Locking  function  will be  enabled  when 
your  vehicle  is  shipped  from  the  factory. 
Disconnecting  the vehicle  battery for up to  a  year will 
not  change  the  programmed  mode of the Delayed 
Locking  function. 
Leaving Your Vehicle 
If you  are  leaving  the  vehicle,  take your keys,  open  your 
door  and set  the  locks  from  inside.  Then  get out  and 
close  the  door. (Also  see  “Delayed Locking” in  this 
section  for  more information.) 
Remote  Keyless  Entry 
You can  lock  and unlock  your doors  or  unlock your 
trunk  from  about 
3 feet (1 m)  up  to 30 feet (9 m) away 
using  the  remote  keyless  entry transmitter  supplied with 
your vehicle. 
Your  remote keyless entry system operates  on  a  radio 
frequency  subject to  Federal  Communications 
Commission (FCC) Rules and with  Industry and 
Science  Canada. 
This device  complies  with  Part 15 of the  FCC  Rules. 
Operation  is  subject  to  the  following  two  conditions: 
(1) this device  may  not  cause  harmful  interference, 
and 
(2) this device  must  accept  any  interference  received, 
including  interference  that  may  cause  undesired  operation. 
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This  device complies with RSS-210 of Industry and 
Science  Canada. Operation  is subject  to the following 
two  conditions: 
(1) this device  may not cause 
interference, and 
(2) this  device  must accept any 
interference received, including interference that  may 
cause  undesired  operation 
of the device. 
Changes  or modifications  to  this system  by other  than 
an authorized  service  facility  could  void authorization to 
use this equipment. 
This system  has a range  of  about 3 feet (1 m)  up  to 
30 feet (9 m).  At  times you may  notice  a decrease  in 
range.  This  is normal  for any  remote  keyless  entry  system. 
If  the  transmitter  does  not  work  or if 
you have  to  stand 
closer  to  your  vehicle  for the  transmitter  to work, 
try this: 
Check to determine if battery replacement is 
necessary.  See  the  instructions  that follow. 
Check the distance. You may  be  too  far from your 
vehicle.  You may  need  to  stand  closer during  rainy 
or  snowy weather. 
Check the  location. Other vehicles  or  objects may be 
blocking the  signal. Take a few  steps  to  the  left or 
right, hold the transmitter higher,  and  try again. 
If, you’re still having trouble,  see your  Buick  dealer 
or  a qualified  technician  for  service. 
Operation 
Press UNLOCK once to 
unlock the driver’s door and 
to  turn the interior lamps on 
(see “Illumination on 
Remote Activation” in the 
Index  for more  details). 
Press 
UNLOCK again 
within  five seconds  to 
unlock  all the doors. 
To lock  all doors,  press LOCK. To unlock the trunk, 
press the trunk symbol on the remote keyless  entry 
transmitter. 
The trunk will only unlock if your transaxle 
is in PARK  (P). 
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Resynchronizing  Your  Remote  Keyless 
Entry Transmitter 
After you have changed the battery  in your transmitter, 
you  will need 
to resynchronize  the transmitter. To do 
this,  press  the 
LOCK and UNLOCK buttons on the 
transmitter  together and  hold  for approximately seven 
seconds 
or until  three brief  horn chirps  are heard.  You 
will  also  need  to  use 
this procedure  if your vehicle  has 
lost battery power  for  an extended period 
of time. 
Trunk 
It can be  dangerous  to drive with  the  trunk open 
because  carbon monoxide 
(CO) gas can  come  into 
your  vehicle.  You can’t  see  or smell 
CO. It can 
cause  unconsciousness  and even  death. 
If you  must  drive with  the  trunk open or if 
electrical  wiring  or other  cable  connections  must 
pass  through the  seal  between  the body  and 
the  trunk: 
Make  sure all  windows  are shut. 
Turn  the fan  on  your  heating  or cooling 
system  to 
its highest  speed  with  the  setting 
on  VENT.  That will force  outside  air into 
your  vehicle.  See  “Comfort  Controls”  in 
the  Index. 
instrument  panel,  open  them all  the  way. 
If you have air outlets on or under  the 
See  C4Engine  Exhaust”  in  the Index. 
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Trunk  Lock 
To unlock the trunk from 
the  outside,  insert the door 
key and turn 
it. You  can also 
press the  car symbol on 
your remote  keyless 
entry transmitter. 
Theft 
Vehicle theft is  big  business,  especially in some cities. 
Although your Buick has  a number 
of theft-deterrent 
features,  we know that nothing we put on it can make  it 
impossible  to steal.  However,  there  are ways 
you 
can help. 
Key  in  the  Ignition 
If you leave  your vehicle with the keys  inside, it’s an 
easy target  for  joy  riders  or  professional  thieves 
-- so 
don’t do  it.  When 
you park your Buick and open the driver’s door, 
you’ll  hear 
a chime  reminding  you to remove your key 
from the ignition and take  it with  you.  Always  do this. 
Your  steering  wheel will  be  locked, and so will your 
ignition and transaxle.  And remember  to lock the  doors. 
Parking  at  Night 
Park in a lighted spot,  close  all windows and lock your 
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables  out of sight. 
Put them 
in a storage  area,  or  take them with you. 
Parking  Lots 
If  you  park  in a lot where someone will be watching 
your vehicle,  it’s best 
to lock  it up  and  take  your keys. 
But what  if 
you have to leave your ignition key? What if 
you have to leave something valuable  in your vehicle? 
Put your  valuables  in a storage  area,  like your trunk 
or  glove 
box. 
0 Lock  the glove  box. 
0 Lock all the doors  except  the  driver’s. 
0 Then take the door key and remote  keyless entry 
transmitter  with 
you. 
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Battery  Rundown  Protection 
Your vehicle has a feature  to help prevent  you from 
draining  the battery  in case  you accidentally  leave the 
interior  courtesy  lamps, reading/map  lamps, visor vanity 
lamps, trunk  lamp, underhood lamp  or glove box lamps 
on.  If you  leave  any of these  lamps on,  they will 
automatically turn  off after 
20 minutes,  if the ignition is 
in 
the OFF position.  The lamps won’t come back on 
again  until you: 
0 Turn the ignition on, 
0 Turn the lamp switch off, then  on;  or 
Open a door. 
Note that  if your vehicle has  less than 
15 miles (25 km) 
on the odometer, the battery  saver will turn  off the lamps 
after  only three minutes. 
Retained  Accessory  Power  (If  Equipped) 
With  retained accessory power, your power windows, 
audio  system and sunroof will  continue to work 
up to 
10 minutes  after the ignition key is turned to the OFF 
position and none of the doors is  opened. 
Mirrors 
Adjust all the mirrors so  you can see clearly when you 
are sitting in  a  comfortable  driving  position. 
Inside Daymight  Rearview  Mirror 
To reduce glare from lamps behind you, pull the lever 
toward  you (to the  night  position). 
To return the mirror 
back  to the  day position, push the lever away from you. 
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Storage  Compartments 
Glove Box 
Use the door key to lock and unlock  the glove box. To 
open,  lift the  latch. 
Storage  Armrest (If Equipped) 
To use the  storage  area,  fold  down  the armrest  located in 
the  center  front  seat.  Press  the  latch on the front  edge 
and pull 
up. Dual  oversized  cupholders  will fold  out 
from within  the  storage  armrest. 
You  may  also  have  an armrest  located within the  center 
back  seat  of your vehicle.  It  may have a  storage  area  and 
cupholders. 
To open,  pull up on the lever at the end  of 
the  armrest  and 
lift. Two cupholders  will then be 
accessible  and you  will have  access  to 
the storage 
compartment  area. 
Convenience  Net (If Equipped) 
Your vehicle  may have a convenience net.  You’ll see  it 
on the back wall of the  trunk. 
Put small  loads, like grocery bags, behind 
the net. It can 
help keep them from  falling  over  during  sharp  turns or 
quick  starts and stops. 
The 
net isn’t  for larger,  heavier  loads. Store those  in  the 
trunk 
as far  forward as you can. 
You can unhook the  net so that it will lie flat when 
you’re  not using it. 
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